Steering-wheel lock



M. B. WHITE.- STEERING W HEEL LOCK. APPLlbATlON FILED OCT. 24, 1921.

Patentefl May 30, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET M. R. WHITE. -STEERING WHEEL LOCK. APPLICATION FILED 0m. 24, 1921.

Patehted May 30,1922.

Mmam-Q 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- tion of the lllkh art and UNITE s'r STEERING-WHEEL LOCK.

umen.

Application filed October 24; 1921.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that 1, Mine Rrr'rm: Wnrrr, a citizen of the United States, residing in lVashington Township; in the county of State of Indiana, have invented certain new and usefu Improvements in SteeringJVheel Locks, or which the follmring is a specification.

'his invention relates to a lock for the steering mechanism of an automohile whercby the steering wheel may he (llSt'Olllltt'ttal from the steering post.

11 object of this invention is to provide. a lock of such a character that the steering wheel, when disconnected from the post, may be locked to a relatively rigid part of the automobile.

Another-object of this invention is to provide a lock mechanism which, in one posi vtion operatively connects the steering wheel to'the steering post, and which in another position locks the steering wheel to the steering column, the steering post. when the mechanism is in the last named position, being tree to be rotated by the manual operaroad Wheels.

Another object of this invention is to provide a lock which prevents the removal of the steering wheel from the steering post.

Another object of this invention is to pr0- vide a steering wheel lock which will pres clude the operation of the steering mcche nism' even it' the steering wheel is surreptitiously connected to the steering post in any manner.

A still further ohjectot this invention is to provide a lock which will permit the automobile to be. moved in case (it tire and guided by the manual operation of the road wheels.

thenolojects and advantages of this ill-- vention will appear upon consideration of the following specification and drawings in which like reference characters are applied to corresponding elements in the various figures.

Fig. is a side elevation partly in section showing the steering wheel locked against rotation.

Figs. 2. 3. 4 and 5 are sectional view; taken on lines ll -ll l'll lll, TVIV and V- V respectively of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on line VIVT of Fig. 2 i

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the actuating pinion showing a dovetailed groove in one end thereof.

-post I is a pin lock Specification (f Letters Patent.

Patented May 30,1922. Serial No. 510,055.

Fig. His a side elevation partly in section showing a modification.

Fig. 5) is a fragmentary sectional view showing the lock of l ig. l, in unlocked position and the steering wheel huh operatively connected to the steering post.

The steering column or 1 is adapted to he rigidly connected to a. part of the automohilc not shown. "ithin the column there is rotatively mounted the steerng post or actuated element 2, which is connected, at its lowcr end in a conventional manner to the trout road wheels not shown. The steering wheel or actuating mcmher 3 has a huh portion 4 iron: which radiate a plurality of spokcs 5. The spokes are providcd at thcir l'rcc ends with a \vhcelsrii'in.

not shown.

The upper cnd oi the column I Is ')rovided stationary memberwith a keeper plate (I. which is secured there I to-in any suitahlc manner The keeper plate ti which intcgrallyavith the column I. has a plurality oi holt receiving rcccsscs H. The wheel huh 4. which has an opening llcxtending from one end thereof to the other i with an annular portion 10 which is to ahut the keeper plate (3. nular portion it) there is a huh member ll s cured to the post 2 by means of the key 12. The huh mcmher H is provided with a pinrality ot' holt receiving recesses 13 in the llt-l'lplltl'y thereof. The upper end of" the provided with threads to receive a as hy screws 7. may he formed adapted Ovcrlying the annut 13'. I v

llach end of the huh opening 9 is'provided with screw threads H. which engage with the threaded portions oi the closure plates 15. Zach closure plate is provided with a projecting lug lt' thc l'unction of which will he dcscrihcd later.

:c huh 4 is provided with a laterally extending enlargement in which is mounted 1'? of convcntional type. having a cylinder 18. adapted to he rotated upon insertion oi thckcy. not shown. The projecting cud ot' the rih 1 adapted to he received groove 20 in thc pinion 2i. Tt.\\lll he olivious that they cylinder 1H and pinion 21 can he separated only h v a lateral movement of the one with respect to the other. and such relative movement is precluded. when the lock is asscml'dcd. since the projecting end oi the cylinder 18 and the pinion 21 are in a dovetailed is provided I loosely engage the steering post 2 and to cylinder 13 has a dove-tailed -mounted in an opening of substantially the will be seen that the closure plates may same size andshape. The pinion 21 has 'be removed if so desired. When thebolt intermediate its ends a reduced portion 24 is moved to a position so that the body provided with teeth 22. The hub 4 has two portion thereof is within the flange 10, the

5 reciprocating bolts 23 and 24 slidable in steering wheel may then be turned to any guideways fornyed therein. These bolts are desired pos tion provided with teeth to mesh with the teeth The modification shown in F g. 8 has the of pinion -21'. In assembling the locking ele same structure as that shown in Figs. 14 ments in the hub 4, the lock 17 and the pinand 9 with the exception that the bolt 24 is 0 ion 21 are first placed in position after which made long enough to engage boththe hub the bolts and 24 are inserted from the member 11 and the keeper plate 6 at the ends of the hub into their respective guide. same time. V Vhen this form of the lock s in ways. When the bolts are in engagement locking position as shown ln Flg, :8, the with the teeth 22 of the pinion, the lock and closure plates 15 are locked against removal,

15 pinion will be retained in position, since the the post 2 is rigidly connected to the wheel flange 25 of the pinion cannot pass be- 3, and the wheel 18 permitted to move relatween the bolts. tive to the column 1 between certain limits Referring now to the modification shown prede ermined by the entent of the elongated v in Figures 1 to 6 inclusiveand 9, the b dy recesses 8. When it is desire d to unlock 20 portion of the bolt 24 is of a length slightly the lock, the barrel 18 and pinion 21 are less than the width of the annular portion rotated toward the left, thereby raising the 10. In the position shown in Figure 1, the t 24 out of engagement wlth the keeper bolt 24 is in engagement with the keeper Plate 6 and p rmi ting the normal operaplate 6 and the reduced ortion of the bolt tion of the steering pqst I I 25 projects into the path oi movement of the The lock as shown in Figs. 1-9 inclulug 16, carried by the lower closure plate 15; sive, may be applied to a steering wheel of The bolt 23 is in raised position and extends he Ford type. The keeper plate 6 may be into the path ofmovement of th l 16 secured to the neck portion of the upper on the upper closure plate 15. In this posisection of the conventional planetary gear 30 tion of the lock the steering mechanism will, s g, t s t ns f said cas ng b ing sebe inoperative sin eithe wheel is locked to cured together in y a o manorh a part rigid to the stationary part 1. It is bolt 24 may be made to engage a recess in very important t not th t h th l k i the neck positionot the upper section of the in thelocked position as shown in Figure planetary 2 e- 85- 1, the steering post 2 is free to be rotated Vhile I have shown and described the with respect to both the wheel 3 and the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is column 1 by the manual operation 0f the of course to be understood that I reserve road wheels. If the wheel 3 is connected to the right to make such changes in the form, the post 1 in any manner as by drilling or construction and arrangement of parts as 40 wedging the parts together, it will still be l I10t depart from the Spirit of the 165 impossible to operate th te ri h vention or the scope of the subjoined claims. nism since the wheel '3 is locked to the sta what I claim and desire to secure y tionary column 1. The keeper plate 6 is United States Letters Patent iSi provided with elongated recesses 8 so as'to In the COmbinatiOn. Of a steering'col- 45 avoid the necessity of moving the wheel 3 mn, steering post, and steering wheel, lock to a certain position before the bolt can be means carried y Said Wheel and adapted moved to locking position which would be p n operation h r f to one p n to pthe case if the recesses 8 were just large eratively connect said wheel to said post and enough to receive the bolt 24. It is also to upon operation thereof to another position 50 be noted that when the lock is in locked to c nne t ai Whe l o s id column no position as shown in Figs. 1 and 6 that both 2. In the combination of a steering column, closure plates are locked against removal steering post, and steering wheel, lock means with the result that the wheel 3 cannot be carried by said wheel, said lock means adaptremoved nor can access be had to the inside ed in one position to lock said wheel to-said 56 of the hub 4. post and in another position to lock said hen it is desired to operate the steering Wheel to said column, said post being free to mechanism, the lock cylinder 18 and pinion rotate with respect to said column when the 21 are rotated by a suitable key. The rotalock means is in the last named position.

tion of the pinion ina counter-clockwise di- 3. In the combination oil a rigid element,

recticn as seen in Fig. 6 moves'the bolt 24 a movable element, and an operating element upward into engagement with the hub memtherefor, lock means carried by said operatber 11, and the bolt 23 downward, therebying element. said means adapted in one poreleasing the wheel 3 from the column 1 and sition to lock said operating element to saidrigidly connecting it to the post 2 as shown movable element against relative movement,

M in 9; In this position of the parts it and adapted inanother position to lock said movable element being movable relative to said operating means and said rigid element when said lock means is in the last mentioned position.

4. In the combination of a steering column, steering post, and steering wheel, said "wheel having a hollow hub adapted to receive said post, a closure plate adapted to close an open end of said hub, lock means carried by said Wheel, said lockmeans adapted to connect said wheel to said column and to lock said plate against removal.

5. In thecombination ofna steering column, steering-post, and steering wheel, said wheel having a hub member adapted to re- 'ceive'sfiid'pmtyakeeperplatacarried by said said column,

I by said wheel and connect said wheel to said post, in an inter- 'mediate position to permit rotation of said column, a closure plate carried by said I wheel, lock means carried by said wheel and 20' adapted to lock said closure plate against removal from said hub, and to lock said wheel to said keeper plate. a

j 6. The combination of a steering column, steering post, and steering Wheel, a keeper plate carried by said column, a-hub member mounted on said. post, lock means carried adapted in one position to wheel relative to said column and post, and in a third position to connect said Wheel to said post being free to rotate relative to said column and wheel when said lock means is in the last mentioned position.

7. In the combination .o; t a steering col- .umn, steering post, and steering Wheel, said wheel having a hub open'at each end, a plurality of closure plates adapted to close the ends of said hub, lock means on said wheel adapted to engage said column to connect said wheel thereto, and engagesaid closure plates to secure the same against removal.

-8. In the combination of a steering col-- umn, steering post, andsteering wheel, a keeper plate mounted on said column and having an elongated keeper recess, a closure plate adapted to be fitted in one end of said wheel, lock means carried on said Wheel adapted to lock said clos ureplate and to en gage said recess whereby said wheel is locked against unlimited rotary movement.

9. In the combination of a steering colpost and steering w ment of said steering wheel in one direction,

a closure adapted to close one end of the wheel, lock means on said wheel adapted in one .position to engage said hub member and in another position to lock said closure plate against removal.

10. In a steerin mechanism, a steering eel, a lock bolt mounted in said wheel, lock controlled means to move said bolt to operatively connectsaid wheel and post, said means having a portion extending within the contour of said bolt to secure the former in position. w

11. In the combination of a steering member, steering post and a stationary member, lock means adapted upon operation to connect said steering member to said post, and

. also adapted upon further operation to conmg means to hold said steering means against unlimited movement.

13. The combination of steering actuated means, locking means for locking said steering means to said actuated means, and also for locking said steering means against unlimited movement.

14. The combination of steering means, actuated means, locking means adapted in one position to lock said steering means to said actuated means, and in another position to lock said steering means against unlimited movement. l

15. The combination of steerin means, actuated means, locking means a apted in one position to lock said steering means to said actuated means and in a second position to lock said steering means against unlimited movement and to disconnect the steering means from the actuated means.

In'testimo'ny whereof I aflix m MILO BITTER means, 

